


And a Poet

by Naji_Dragonchild



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Canon Universe, Deceit | Janus Sanders Angst, Episode: Flirting With Social Anxiety, Fluff, Light Angst, Post-Episode: Flirting with Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:53:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26947753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naji_Dragonchild/pseuds/Naji_Dragonchild
Summary: Patton watches Roman and Virgil come back after Flirting with Anxiety.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Nico Flores/Thomas Sanders
Comments: 27
Kudos: 220





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Can be read as romantic Prinxiety

Patton was vaguely aware that something was going on, millions of emotions flooding through his mind without actually affecting him, but he didn't bother to check.  
He just asked Janus how much flour was needed, since he wanted thrice the cookies and Janus was better with numbers than him, and went on with the receipt.

He knew that Janus was doing something for Thomas but in that subconsciously way, where he probably didn't even know what exactly it was.

He almost had the first batch in the oven when Roman rose up and Virgil appeared in the living room.

Roman was squealing - happier than Patton had seen him in... way longer than he really wanted to think about - and grabbed Virgil, spinning around the room with him.

Virgil laughed and held onto Roman just as tightly. Patton couldn't remember ever having seen him laugh and smile like that, but what caught his attention was the glittery purple shine under his eyes.

"We did it!" Roman yelled. "We did it, we did it, we did it!"

"We talked to him!" Virgil wiggled in Roman's embrace but still held onto him. 

Logan rose up, attracted by the noise and excitement flooding the room.

He shot a questioning look to Patton and Janus and came into the kitchen to be out of the excited pairs way.

"What is going on?" he asked quietly. 

"Don't know," Patton shrugged. "Must be something good."

In the living room, Roman's foot caught on something and Virgil let out a startled scream as they fell back onto the sofa.

Roman laughed.

"I'm the most graceful person you'll ever have the honour of meeting, emo," he claimed and Virgil giggled.

For a few moments they lay there, catching their breath and occasionally bursting into excited giggles.

Remus had appeared at some point and now the four of them were crammed into the kitchen, just watching.

"Congrats, Princey," Virgil finally said, making no move to get off of Roman. "You were amazing."

"Me?" Roman asked. "Virge, you were the one who gave Thomas that push! And you brought up the pins and stickers to check whether he was gay!"

Patton perked up.

This was about a guy?

"I also stopped Thomas from just going up and talking to him," Virgil scoffed. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't have pushed Thomas in a thousand years!"

"You did that because of me?"

Roman's voice sounded disbelieving and brittle as he asked. Patton didn't like it. It reminded him to much of the "Right" last time they had talked.

Virgil looked up and Patton could see that glittering purple eyeshadow again.

"You were sad when we thought that was it. I just- I don't know. I didn't want that. The risk just seemed... worth it."

He looked away.

Roman remained frozen for a moment before he enveloped Virgil in a tight hug.

Patton could barely hear him whisper a thank you.

They just watched.

Who knew Remus could be this quiet.

"Nico," Roman whispered after a moment. "What a beautiful name for a beautiful man."

"And he's a poet," Virgil added as it they had had this conversation already. 

"Who likes Disney!"

"And Nightmare before Christmas!"

Roman let out another high pitched noise, hugging Virgil tighter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sum more angst. Might also make a third chapter idk.

Patton only put the cookie batch in when he was sure that both Roman and Virgil were asleep.

Logan had left to venture through the memory gardens and figure out what exactly had happened and who that Nico guy even was.

Remus had settled on the couch watching Roman and Virgil sleep and Janus was still in the kitchen, cleaning a harmonica.

Part of Patton wanted to ask if he could play it, the other wasn't sure whether he'd get the truth or a lie as an answer and was too preoccupied to decipher whatever Janus would say.

He looked back up at the two sleeping Sides.

When had they become so close that they could fall asleep on each other like that? Especially Virgil?

Last time Patton had checked his Shadowing didn't like touch very much. What had changed?

The oven timer went off and Patton pulled the batch out, immediately putting the next one in.

Remus tried to grab a cookie but Patton swatted his hand away.

"Nu-uh, they're still hot. You'll just burn your tongue," he said and Remus went back to the sofa to sulk until the cookies were cooled off.

Patton had the third batch in the oven by the time Logan came back.

He rose up slowly and all eyes were on him.

"So?" Janus broke the silence. "Who's Nico and why were they freaking out about him?"

Logan cleared his throat and hesitated for a moment longer, whether to find the right words or to savour the attention, Patton couldn't tell, before finally answering.

"His name is Nico Flores. Thomas met him today at the mall - that is to say, Thomas saw him and Roman immediately decided to make him an object of affection. Then Thomas found out that he was gay, thanks to a gay pride pin on his backpack, the three of them freaked out some more, Thomas accidentally serenaded a stranger in a bathroom and Nico caught up to him to give him some food he'd left behind. Roman and Virgil freaked out, rendering Thomas unable to make actual conversation and Nico went to leave."

"Oookay," Patton made a mental note to look at the memories himself later. "Then why were they so happy?"

"Well, for some reason, Virgil gave Thomas a push and he did manage to make conversation and get Nico's number."

"Wait, what?" Janus hissed.

"They agreed to meet again for a date," Logan added.

"So... Thomas might have a boyfriend soon?" Patton heard himself ask.

Logan shrugged.

"Perhaps."

With that he went back upstairs to his room.

Patton glanced over at Roman, who was sleeping with a slight smile as he held Virgil close, whose eyeshadow was still that sparkly pink instead of his usual black.  
They definitely seemed excited for this.  
And happier than they had in a long time.

They had worked together for this.

Somehow the thought seemed weird.

Sure, they had grown a lot closer since Virgil had ducked out but still. They didn't typically work together.

And both of them had been avoiding everyone else for a while now.

Had they instead spent time with each other?

Patton guessed that'd make sense. Who else would they spend times with after all?

He pulled the last batch of cookies out and set it on the counter to cool down.

"I think I'll take a look at those memories myself now," he told Janus who nodded curtly.

Patton took off his apron, hanging it up, and left the house to wander through the imaginary town the twins had created, towards the memory.

\---

Janus glanced back to the couch.

He wished the purple glitter would disappear.

It'd been years since he'd last seen it.

It'd been years since he'd seen Virgil smile like that. 

And it hurt. It hurt so bad.

Because once upon a time Virgil had smiled at him like that.

These days he wouldn't even look at Janus.

If he did he was glaring and frowning or hissing at him. He never smiled at him anymore. 

Instead, he had beamed at Roman now.

Roman of all people.  
Roman, who had made him cry a dozen times and insulted him and made Virgil completely duck out.

What in the world had Roman done to deserve Virgil laughing and smiling at him and falling asleep on him?

Janus grit his teeth and quickly followed Patton out of the door. 

The memory would know.

The memory would show him.

And maybe, just maybe, it'd let him take a peek at a better time, so long ago, when he'd been able to turn that eyeshadow from black to glittery purple.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit shorter. Unless someone gives me inspiration for more I think I'll end the story here. With Prinxiety, Dadceit and and Janus angst. :)

Janus made sure that Patton didn't notice him as they went through Thomas memories.

He tried not to let it hurt him how both Roman and Virgil kept picking on Thomas for every little lie.

"Is that fair on him?" Virgil asked Thomas and Janus frowned. Was he talking about the cute guy... Or was he talking about Janus?

Virgil knew him. He knew that Janus didn't want to be in charge and the way he'd said it could apply for both. But why would he say that for him?

Before Janus could come to a conclusion however Nico caught up to Thomas and handed him the bag of carrots with a smile.

Even in the memory Janus couldn't tell what Nico was saying over Roman's excitement and Virgil's panic.

"Uh, yeah? Super nosy! What's wrong with you? Man?" Thomas stammered awkwardly.

Making the cute guy apologize, great move, Janus thought sarcastically.

Nico turned to walk away.

"Welp, there he goes," Roman sounded weirdly resigned as he spoke. "Another chance at happiness. Squandered."

He sighed.

"It's probably for the best."

Virgil stared at him and Janus couldn't tell if the emotion in his eyes was fear, shock or just suprise. It seemed to strong for suprise but fear didn't make sense to him.

Virgil turned back to Thomas, his breathing too quick suddenly.  
And then he pushed him.

Janus ignored Thomas and Nico in favour of watching Virgil.

He was panicked. It was obvious.  
Pushing Thomas like that went against everything he did normally.  
It was a risk, something that put them out there for a stranger to see and judge.

That wasn't what Virgil did.

It was what he stopped Thomas from doing.

But... Now he had.

Nico and Thomas sat down, talking about what Nico had been writing.

He listened for a little before focusing his attention on Virgil and Roman again.

Roman turned to look at Virgil.

"Thank you," he broke the silence.

"Uh... You're welcome?" Virgil flustered. His walls were up, not the ones he'd built during Thomas' teenage years, that not even Janus had been able to bring down on his own, but thinner ones.  
The blush on his cheeks, as light as it was, made Janus wants to throw up. "To be honest, I don't even know what that was."

The look in Roman's eyes turned into pure adoration.

He put one hand on Virgil's shoulder.

"Bravery."

"Wha-? No, I-," Virgil stammered.

"Shut up, emo."

The words made Janus skin crawl. Well, not really the words themselves but rather the way Roman said them. There was so much affection in them. So much love.

Roman turned back to watch Thomas and Nico, his hand staying on Virgil's shoulder.

Virgil smiled at him for a moment before following his gaze.

Janus fled. 

When.

When?

When?!

When the hell had his spiderling began to feel like this for the prince?!

How had he missed this? 

He was supposed to have everything under control, he was supposed to be the one with the plan!

When had his precious Virgil become so soft, so loving, so so...

When had he fallen in love with Roman?

Janus didn't have an answer.

Somewhere between Virgil coming home crying because of Roman and today he hadn't paid attention and had lost his child.


End file.
